was into the Virgin's womb, and who dost still love to inhabit only in pure and virgin hearts; I beseech thee, send thy spirit of purity to cleanse me from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit. My body, O Lord, is the temple of the Holy Ghost; O let me never pollute that temple with any uncleanness. And because out of the heart proceed the things that defile the man, Lord, grant me to keep my heart with all diligence, that no impure or foul thoughts be harboured there; but enable me, I beseech thee, to keep both body and soul pure and undefiled; that so I may glorify thee here both in body and spirit, and be glorified in both with thee hereafter.

For Temperance.

O Gracious Lord, who hast, in thy bounty to mankind, afforded us the use of thy good creatures for the refreshment of our bodies, grant that I may always use this liberty with thankfulness and moderation. O let me never be so enslaved to that brutish pleasure of taste, that my taste may become a snare to me; but give me, I beseech thee, a perfect abhorrence of all degrees of excess, and let me eat and drink only for those ends, and according to those measures, which thou hast assigned me, for health, and not for luxury. And, Lord, grant that my pursuits may not be after the meat that perisheth, but after that which endureth to everlasting life; that, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, I may be filled with thy grace here, and thy glory hereafter, through Jesus Christ.

For Contentedness.

O merciful God, thy wisdom is infinite to choose, and thy love forward to dispense good things to us; O let me always fully and entirely resign myself to thy disposal, have no desires of my own, but a perfect satisfaction in thy choice for me; that so, in whatsoever state I am, I may be therein content.

Lord, grant I may never look with murmuring on my own condition, nor with envy on other men's. And, to that end, I beseech thee, purge my heart of all covetous affections. O let me never yield up any corner of my soul to mammon, but give me such a contempt of these fading riches, that, whether they increase or decrease, I may never set my heart upon them, but that all my care may be to be rich towards God; to lay up my treasure in heaven; that I may so set my affections on things above, that when Christ, who is my life, shall appear, I may also appear with him in glory. Grant this, O Lord, for the merits of the same Jesus Christ.

For Diligence.

O Lord, who hast in thy wisdom ordained that man should be born to labour, suffer me not to resist that design of thine, by giving myself up to sloth and idleness; but grant that I may so employ my time, and all other talents thou hast entrusted me with, that I may not fall under the sentence of the slothful and wicked servant. Lord, if it be thy will, make me some way useful to others, that I may not live unprofitable to others: but, however, O Lord, let me not be useless to myself; but grant I may give all diligence to make my calling and election sure. My soul is beset with many and vigilant adversaries; O let me not fold my hands to sleep in the midst of so great dangers, but watch and pray that I enter not into temptation, enduring hardness as a true soldier of Jesus Christ, till at the last, from this state of warfare, thou translate me to the state of triumph and bliss in thy kingdom, through Jesus Christ.

For Justice.

O thou King of Righteousness, who hast commanded us to keep judgment, and do justice, be pleased by thy grace to cleanse my heart and hands

from all fraud and injustice, and give me a perfect integrity and uprightness in all my dealings. O make me ever abhor to use my power to oppress, or my skill to deceive my brother; and grant I may most strictly observe that sacred rule, of doing as I would be done to; that I may not dishonour my Christian profession by an unjust and fraudulent life, but in simplicity and godly sincerity have my conversation in the world; never seeking to heap up treasures in this life, but preferring a little with righteousness, before great revenues without right. Lord, make me exactly careful to render to every man what, by any sort of obligation, becomes his due, that I may never break the bond of any of those relations that thou hast placed me in, but may so behave myself towards. all, that none may have any evil thing to say of me, that so, if it be possible, I may have peace with all men; or, however, I may, by keeing innocency, and taking heed to the thing that is right, have peace at the last, even peace with thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

For Charity.

O merciful Lord, who hast made of one blood, and redeemed by one ransom, all nations of men, let me never harden my bowels against any that partake of the same nature and redemption with me, but grant me an universal charity towards all men. Give me, O thou Father of compassion, such a tenderness of heart, that I may be deeply affected with all the miseries and calamities, outward or inward, of my brethren; and diligently employ all my abilities for their succour and relief. O let not an unchristian self-love possess my heart, but drive out that accursed spirit, and let thy spirit of love enter and dwell there; and make me seek not to please myself, but my neighbour, for his good to edification, even as Christ pleased not himself. Lord, make me a faithful steward of all those talents thou hast committed to

me, for the benefit of others, that so, when thou shalt call me to give an account of my stewardship, I may do it with joy, and not with grief. Grant this, merciful Lord, I beseech thee, for Jesus Christ's sake.

For Perseverance.

O eternal and unchangeable Lord God, who art the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; be thou pleased to communicate some small ray of that excellence, some degree of that stability to me thy wretched creature, who am light and inconstant, turned about with every blast: my understanding is very deceivable, O establish it in thy truth, keep it from the snares of seducing spirits, that I may not be led away with the error of the wicked, and fall from my own stedfastness: my will also, O Lord, is irresolute and wavering, and doth not cleave stedfastly unto God: my goodness is but as the morning cloud, and as the early dew it passeth away. O strengthen and confirm me: and whatever good work thou hast wrought in me, be pleased to accomplish and perform it until the day of Christ. Lord, thou seest my weakness, and thou knowest the number and strength of those temptations I have to struggle with. O leave me not to myself, but cover thou my head in the day of battle, and in all spiritual combats make me more than conqueror through him that loved me. O let no terrors or flatteries, either of the world, or my own flesh, ever draw me from my obedience to thee; but grant that I may continue stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; and, by patient continuing in well-doing, seek, and at last obtain, glory, and honour, and immortality, and eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

BRIEF PARAPHRASE

OF THE

Lord's Prayer.

TO BE USED AS A PRAYER.

[Our Father, which art in Heaven.]

O LORD, who dwellest in the highest Heavens, thou art the Author of our being: thou hast also begotten us again unto a lively hope, and carriest towards us the tenderness and bowels of a compassionate Father; O make us to render to thee the love and obedience of children: and that we may resemble thee, our Father in Heaven (that place of true delight and purity) give us a holy disdain of all the deceitful pleasures and foul pollutions of this world, and so raise up our minds, that we may always have our conversation in Heaven, from whence we look for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

[1. Hallowed be thy Name.]

STRIKE such an awe into our hearts, that we may humbly reverence thee in thy Name, which is great, wonderful, and holy; and bear such a sacred respect to all things that relate to thee, and thy worship, as may express our reverence to thy great Majesty. Let all the people praise thee, O God! let all the people praise thee.

[2. Thy Kingdom come.]

ESTABLISH thy Throne and rule for ever in our souls, and by the power of thy grace subdue all those rebellious corruptions that exalt themselves against thee: they are those enemies of thine which would